As reported by AFN, the War Department is proposing a $1.5 trillion budget for 2027. The Pentagon estimated the cost of the Iranian war since it began to be $28 billion.
Last week, Hegseth testified in front of the House and Senate regarding the budget increase. Around the same time, President Donald Trump told Iran that they better “get smart soon” and “sign a nonnuclear deal.”
Much of the increased demand is driven by Trump's desire to construct the Golden Dome, an anti-missile defense system, as well as to increase ship building that is priced at $65.8 billion, reported Reuters. The administration's goal is to build 18 battle force ships and 16 non-battle force ships.
Retired Navy Commander Kirk Lippold commanded the USS Cole when it was attacked by terrorists in 2000 and now serves as an adjunct professor at the U.S. Naval Academy.
“It's a start because the United States Navy and the shipbuilding industry in the U.S. has not been doing what we've needed for years, simply because we couldn't get the budget to afford it,” states Lippold. “We now have a president that understands the strategic situation that is out there and is going to begin to build the fleet that we need.”
In order to do so, however, Lippold says the War Department needs to make capital investments.
“We need to build more shipyards, but if you're going to build those shipyards, we also have to make an investment in the trades. We need to make sure that we can train the welders, the electricians and the pipefitters that can build those ships because we don't have them right now,” says Lippold. “We're competing with normal industry out there, and we need to make sure that we are getting people that are dedicated to work in DOD-focused areas when it comes to the shipbuilding trades.”
